Fluid handling apparatus



June 27, 1933. R, H. OWENS FYLUID HANDLING APPARATUS Filed June .25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l WA! @W )FLMM d 7206,

A TTORNE Y June 27, 1933. R. H. OWENS FLUID HANDLING APPARATUS Filed June 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III.

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ATTORNEY sion of an apparatus of tering casing through an end Patented June 27, 1933 time STATES PATENT I. FICE ROBERT H. OWENS, OF CONNERSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY

TO INTERNATIONAL-STACEY CURPORATION, OF COLUMBUS,

OF OHIO MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 01-110, A CORPORATION FLUID HANDLING APPARATUS Application filed June 25,

- adapted to be operated in timed relationship.

the invention is the provithis character having timing gears at only one end of the meter, the timing gears being of such character as to permit clearance adjustments in the meshing gears and adjustments in the timed relationship of the intermeshing displacement members.

Another object of the invention is the pro- One object of vision of fluid-handling apparatus having a fixed and an adjustable timing gear at one end of each rotor shaft, the fixed timing gear of each shaft meshing with the adjustable timing gear of the other shaft. I

Another object of the invention is the provision, in fluid-handling apparatus of the character mentioned, of means for efficiently lubricating the timing gears and for preventing impurities which might pass from mewall thereof from read'ly finding their way to the timing gear compartment, and to the bearings on which the rotor shafts are mounted.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of fluid-handling apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation looking atthe front end of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the timing gears on the line H of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 3; and

Fig.6 shows a modified form of construction where the apparatus handles a fluid containing light oils. v a

The device shown in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings as illustrating one embodiment of the invention is a rotary lobed impeller construction of the widely known Roots blower type; and as disclosed is particu- 1928. Serial No. 288,069.

larly adaptedto the metering of gases. And the invention is described with particular reference to a fluid-handling apparatus such as a gas meter, although of course the invention is not necessarily thus limited in scope.

As shown in the drawings, the meter comprises an impeller casing designated generally by the numeral 10. This casing through which the gases to be metered flows, preferably in a downward direction, is generally of elliptical cross-section and has an opening at the top on which is a top or cover 11 which is adapted for connection in any suitable manner to a gas-supplying pipe, not shown. The top or cover 11 is preferably provided on one side with a coupling flange 12 by means of which it is connected to the gas-supplying pipe, and the attachment between the lower end of this cover and the top of the casing is such that the cover may be reversed so that the flange 12 may be placed on either side of the apparatus. The casing 10 is supported by a bed plate 13 having an opening 14 communicating with the bottom of the casing. This bed plate is preferably an iron casting finished on both the bottom and top surfaces. The bottom face is supplied, as shown, with a wide flange 15 giving a broad distribution of the machine weight over the foundation area, this flange being recessed as indicated at 16 for catching any oil that may drip from the meter.

lVithin the casing is a pair of intermeshing lobed displacement members 20, generally of figure eight contour as shown, each of which is mounted on a rotor shaft indicated at 21 and 22, these shafts extending beyond the ends of the main body portion of the casing 10. The rotors are preferably pressed onto these shafts by heavy hydrostatic pressure and are prevented from changing their angular position thereon by a suitable feather key 23.

In prior constructions of apparatus of this character two sets of timing gears are ordinarily used, one set being provided at each end of the rotor shafts. Because of the wide distance between the two sets of timing gears when they are located at opposite ends of the casing, very careful handling and setting of the machine was required in order not to disturb accurate timing of these gears. Unless the .gears are accurately adjusted noisy operation is the result. Furthermore it is the general custom to file the timing gears in apparatus of this character until the noise of operation is minimized. In accordance with the present invention however use is made of a unique arrangement of double adjustment gears which eliminate entirely the effects of machine misalignment on gear adjustments and which obviates the necessity of filing the gears to obtain silent operation. This arrangement permits not only the very accurate adjustment of tooth clearance for silent operation, but also permits small adjustments of the relative timing relationship of the impellers with relation to one another.

, Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4 the shaft 21, beyond one end of the casing 10, is provided with a timing gear 24,. this gear being secured in a predetermined position ,on' the shaft by means of the key 25. The shaft 21 also carries an adjustable timing gear 26 g of somewhat larger size than the diameter of able gear 33 is adjustably bolted which, instead of being fixed to the shaft, is adjustably clamped to the side face .of the gear 24. v Preferably the gear 24 is flanged as indicated at 27, the gear 26 seating on this flange by a sliding fit. The fixed gear 24 is provided with threaded holes 28 which receive the threaded ends of clamp bolts 29. These bolts extend through ,slotsor holes 30,

the bolts so thatsome rotational adjustment of the gear 26 about the axis of the shaft 21 is permitted, providing for an adjustment of about one tooth width at the gear periphery. The two gears 24 and 26preferably have the same number of teeth and the same pitch diameters. The shaft 22 is likewise provided with a fixed and an adjustable gear as indicated at 32 and 33, the fixed gear being rigidly keyed. to the shaft and serving as a sup port for the adjustable gear 33. The adjustto the face of the fixed gear 32 in the same. manner as previously set forth with regard to the gears 24 and 26. The fixed gear 32 of the shaft 22 meshes with. the adjustable gear 26 of shaft 21, and the fixed gear of shaft 21 meshes with the adjustable gear of shaft 22. .It will be readily understood that such an arrangement provides for regulation'of the timing relationship. of the displacement members 20 so that they may be properly seton the rotor shafts withrelation to one anotherfor efiicient operation while still utilizing a strong and simple construction. The timing gear arrangement also permits theregul-ation of the tooth clearances or play between the rotor shafts, since the meshing gears 32and 26 may or play compensated for by the setting of the gears 33 and 26 which may be so adjusted as to practically eliminate the two rotor.

have their lost motion play or lost motion between .lection chamber.

"through which the ends of the shafts 21 and 22 freely project. The shaft openings in this end plate are just slightly larger than the shaft diameter so that the shafts may rotate freely therein. The lower end of the end plate is supported upon the top of the bed plate 14. This end plate 35 forms one side of a combined timing gear and oil compartment, the opposite side of which is formed by the back wall 36 of the head plate 37. Head plate 37 like the end plate 35 is supported upon the top of the bed plate 14. Be tween the back Wall 36 and the outer side of a the head plate 37 is a space 38 through which the excess lubricant from the adjacent bearing mountings of the rotor shafts may pass to the excess lubricant chamber 39 provided in a lower portion of the head plate in communication with the space 38. The excess lubricant chamber 39 communicates with a second chamber 40 in the lower portion of the end plate 35, which serves as a trap or col- The end plate has walls providing an L-shaped partition 41 extending upwardly beyond the normal oil level and outwardly to the head plate 37 so as to form the timing gear compartment 43. In the modification shown in Fig. 3, this timing gear compartment is in limited communication with the chamber 40, through a small passage 42 in the outwardly extending part of the partition wall 41. In the upwardly extending portion of the partition wall is an opening44 for each rotor shaft, these openings being considerably larger than the rotor shaft diameter. Above the chamber 40 between the partition 41 and the inner side of the end plate 35, each rotor shaft is provided with a slinger ring 45. These slinger rings are fixed tothe rotor shafts inwardly of the upwardly extending portion of the partition, and are slightly smaller in diameter than these openings so that they may be moved through them during the assembly of the apparatus. Cover plates are shown bolted to the upwardly extending portion of the partition wall to separate the chamber 40 from the gear compartment and obstruct passage of material from one chamber to the other, although the provision of these plates is not essential. The plates are provided with openings slightly larger than the shaft diameters so that the shafts extend freely through them, and these plates may be placed over the openings 44 after the slinger rings are in position. Between the cover plates 50 the upwardly extending portion of the partition 41 extends continuously past the region where the timing gears intermesh and tend to squirt oil out laterally thus insuring the retention of such oil in the gear compartment. The slinger rings, being provided immediate ly adjacent the openings in the end plate through which the rotor shafts extend, throw down any foreign matter or impurities which may travel from the rotor casing through the rotor shaft openings, such impurities or foreign matter collecting or being trapped in the chamber 40, and being thus prevented from finding its way to the timing gears and the lubricant retained in the timing gear compartment. vVhere impurities thrown down by the slinger rings are of such character that they will not mix or go into solution with the lubricant, that is, are of such character that they will stratify, either floating on the lubricating oil or settling below the lubricating oil, the construction shown particularly in Fig. 8, may be used, in which the chamber 40, as previously stated, is in only limited communication with the timing gear compar ment through the small passage 42. The lubricant and the stratified impurities contained therein in the chamber are not agitated and whipped up by the timing gears. Tn ordinary operation, as for example wherelthe meter is handling artificial gas, containing as impurities tar, water, etc., these impurities will settle below the lubricant. The chamber 40 is provided with a drain cock 4'? in the removable clean-out opening cover 48 through which the collected impurities may be drained ofl from time to time. Oil is supplied to the timing gear compartment through a removable plug in the gear housing cover plate 49 which rests upon the top of the head plate 37 and on aprojecting portion of the end plate 35.

Under certain conditions of operation, there are large quantities of light gravity gas oil produced which tends to be ca ried over into the lines with the gas. This oil is generally of such character that it will go into solution with the lubricating oil. When such impurity is-present in substantial quantities, the construction shown in Fig. 6 may be advantageously used. In this construction the chamber 40 is segregated from the gear compartment, no opening 42 being provided in the partition wall. The cover plates 50 placed over the openings 44. after the slinger rings are in position, prevent loss of lubricating oil from the gear compartment into the comp artment' 40. The collected light oils may be drawn off from time to time through the drain cock 4? but preferably especially where the light. oils come down in considerable quantity an overflow opening 51 is provided, which is connected by a trapped passage 52 with the discharge side of the meter, so that the light oils may pass therethrough during operation. l/Vhen the bearings for the rotor shafts are lubricated with oil from a constant feed lubricator, oil from these hearings will gradually overflow into the chamber 39 and this arrangement will prevent the material in the collecting chamber 40 from rising above a predetermined level due to this constant addition to the gear compartment. in the case of oil lubrication a similar trapped overflow may be installed on the instrument end head plate at the opposite end of the meter to prevent ac cumulation of bearing oil and condensates from the gas rising beyond a predetermined level above the bearing mounting at the corresponding end of the meter.

Each of the rotor shafts is provided outwardly beyond the timing gears with an antifriction ball or roller bearing 56, the outer races of which are shown supported in conventionally outwardly facing bearing cups 53 which are provided with the usual threaded holes in the outer flanges to be used for pulling the bearing from the shaft when desired. In the back wall, each bearing cup is provided with a clearance opening 54 receiving the slinger collar 55 which is clamped to the rotor shaft at the same time the inner race of thebearing is pressed on the shaft. This slinger collar 55 is seated with very close running clearance where it passes through 1 the bearing mounting cup and also where its flange rotates adjacent to the back face of this bearing mounting cup. Lubricant or grease escaping from ment through these small clearances tends to maintain a seal which prevents passage of material into or outof the bearing compartment; and the back wall 36of the head plate through which the rotor shafts extend with small running clearances prevents oil splashed by the timing gears from striking the bearing mounting cup seal arrangement and destroying its effectiveness.

Excess lubricant supplied the ball bearingis slung ofl bythe slingercollars 55 into the space 88 and is collected in the chamber 89 below as previously described.

At the opposite end the casing is closed by a head plate which is provided with a space 61 communicating with the chamber 62. In the space 61 is a slinger ring 63 suitably fiXed on the shaft 21 where the latter extends through the inner wall portion 64 of the head plate. This slinger ring throws down foreign material entering from the rotor casing at this point and such material is received in the chamber 62 from which it may be removed by the drain cock 65 in the removable cover plate 66. The antifriction bearing 67 near the corresponding end portion of each rotor shaft is received in a bearthe bearing compartthe ready ing cup 68 in a manner corresponding to the construction at the opposite end of the shaft.

Freely rotatable within the back wall of the bearing cup 68 is the slinger collar 69 similar in construction to the slinger collars 55 previously described The open side of each bearing cup 53 is closed by a cap 70, where there is no external drive at the end of a rotor shaft, this cap being attached as by means of the bolts 71 extending through openings in'the flange of the bearing cup into threaded openings in the head plate 37- A bearingmounting cap 72 is bolted to the bearing cup and head plate 60 or 37, where a power of a rotor shaft is desired.

The various bearing caps/T2 and 70 are interchangeable, being provided with similarly spaced and arranged bolt holes, and an instrument drive 75 or crank connection 76for hand starting may be made at any one'of the four shaft ends desired. Each shaft end is suitably slotted or otherwise formed to engage with the instrument drive or transmission .mechanism 75 herein shown in the form of a revolution counter indicator, and the length of the shaft end protruding through the bearing is suflicient for lifting and centering theshaft' with the bearing mounting cup so that a disassembled hearing may be easily and readily displaced. The transmission mechanism 75 is housed in a case 77, which carries suitable indicating mechanism at its outer end. As shown, the meter is provided also with other instruments as indicated at 80, containing a chart or the like operatively driven through speed-reducing gearing enclosed within a case81 which is interchangeable with the cases or caps for other types of mechanism. Case 81 has opposite ends or attaching sides of complementary shape so that a similar case may be attached thereto to provide a" drive for one instrument through the mechanism of another, and the ends of the case r 81 and the case 77 of corresponding form .sothat' the latter may be attached to and driven from the former, if desired. 'ljhe assembly and changing ofthe desired instruments at any end of the rotor shafts is thus provided for, and any instrument may be driven through the transmission mechanism of other instruments, or drive directly from the end of a rotor shaft.

While the forms of apparatusherein described constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise forms of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of'the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Fluid-handling apparatus of the chartake-ofi from the end acter described comprising a casing having fluid inlet and outlet openings, intermeshing fluid displacement members in said casing, parallel shafts supporting said fluid displacement members, said casing having end walls through which said shafts extend, and timing gears on said shafts, each shaft having a gear fixed in definite position thereon and an adjustable gear adjustably mounted thereon, the fixed gear of each shaft. meshing with the adjustable gear of the other shaft for adjustments of the meshing gears and; for properly timing the intermeshing displacement members with relation to one another.

2. Fluid-handling apparatus of the character described comprising a casing having fluid inlet and outlet openings, intermeshing lobed fluid displacement members in. said casing, parallel shafts supporting said displacement members, said casing having end walls outside of said displacement members, and timing gearing at one end only of the casing comprising intermeshing fixed and adjustable gear means on said shafts, the adjustable gear means being movably adjustable to regulate both gear operating clearance and the relative timing relationship of the lobed displacement members.

'3. Fluid-handling apparatus of the character described comprising a casing having fluid inlet and outlet openings, fluid displacement means in said casing, parallel shafts supporting said fluid displacement means, said casing having end walls outside of said displacement members, and timing gears on adjacent ends of said shafts and at one end only of said casing, each shaft having a timing gear fixed thereto and an adjustable timing gear adjustably fixed directly to the fixed gear, the fixed gear of each shaft meshing with the adjustable gear of the other shaft.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

ROBERT H. OWENS. 

